Eternal Love Book Two: Renaissance Love

Chapter Two: Apprentice of Art

On her sixteenth birthday they had a small celebration. When the cake was being serves, there was a knock on the door. Her father got up and went to open it and there stood Giotto. He was dressed in clothes fit for a lord. Having made his name known throughout the country he had become quite wealthy. After being invited in Giotto sat across from Constance.

He looked at her, she was quite a beauty, he was not expecting that.

Giotto smiled at her, “Well my lady, first I'll introduce myself. My name is Giotto Cecila and I have heard great things about you. I want to wish you a happy birthday and I come with a gift.” He smiled at her.

“My name is Constance Vitaly, thank you for the birthday wishes. It is truly an honor to meet you.” Constance tells him trying to hide her excitement.

Giotto gave her a nod and then says, “You have shown great promise in being an artist. I have a painting of yours. So, my gift to you, if you will accept, is to offer you a place as my apprentice. The last apprentice I had lost interest and was nowhere near as talented as you are. So, I want an apprentice who will want to work hard, learn, and grow to be an amazing artist. I want someone who wants to be even more prominent and successful than I am. Would this be something you would be interested in?”

Constance was overjoyed, she had been hoping for this. “Yes, I would love to become your apprentice.:” She says unable to contain her excitement.

Giotto nodded, “Well then you start tomorrow morning at dawn.” He hands her a letter that has the directions to his home and workshop.

“I shall see you bright and early tomorrow. Don't be late.” Constance gave a nod and took the letter from him. Giotto left and Constance looked at her mother and father.

“It seems wishes do come true,” she says with a smile. Her parents hugged her and the day ended on a wonderful high.

Constance started her apprenticeship the next day. She worked hard for Giotto and became even better at her craft. But then when she turned seventeen Giotto's interests became more apparent. Giotto wanted her for far more than just her artistic abilities. He had become infatuated with her. There were times he would deliberately get close behind her just so he had an excuse to be close to her. She could feel his breath inhaling the scent of her hair. He would take her hand and “show her” how to do a proper brush stroke on the canvas or how to do something else.

Constance began to feel uncomfortable around him but she knew she had to deal with it for one more year. Until her eighteenth birthday, then she would no longer need him. She was already doing good; her paintings were selling like crazy. At this point she was selling more art than Giotto was.

She was making a name for herself. As more time went by Giotto became more and more forward with his desires. Giotto had made clear to her that he intended to ask her father permission to court her and she warned her father that he needed to say no.

Then it happened, two days before her eighteenth birthday Giotto did something foul. Constance was painting when Giotto came up behind her. She tried to not pay him any attention and kept her focus on her painting. He put his hands on her waist and carefully turned her around. Constance looked at him, her paintbrush still in her hand. He did not say a word to her.

His left hand moved to her hair and he gripped it tight and then shoved his lips onto hers, hard. She let out a cry and tried to push him away. He gripped her waist tighter, forcing her closer. Constance kept trying to push him away but he was strong. Finally, after a few moments he pulled away and said, “Happy birthday. I have a bigger gift for you later.”

He let her go and walked away leaving her shaking. Her eyes filled with tears and she left early and went home. She took a long bath, she felt dirty, the thought of him touched her disgusted her and she could not wait to be done with him. Her mother called her to supper and after dressing she went to eat.

As she sat down her father looked at her. He knew that there was something wrong with her. Francesco looked at her, “Constance what's wrong my princess?” He asks.

She started crying and her mother got up and put her arms around her.

“Giotto, he forced himself on me and made me kiss him. I don’t want to go back there.” She said sobbing.

The anger in her father's eyes said everything, “I'll kill him.” He says as he gets up and starts walking off to do just that.

Constance stopped him, “Don’t father he isn't worth you getting into trouble. I do need you to get my things from his workshop but let him be.”

Her father let out a long sigh, and then nodded, “Fine I will go tomorrow. But now that you are done with him, what will you do now?”

Constance smiled through her tears, “My paintings have been selling really well, and I have saved enough to open my own workshop and sell my own art.”

Her father nodded, “Well you know we will support you no matter what you want to do.”

“Thank you, father,” she says.

Her family supported her and she was going to open her own shop. Her name was already becoming quite famous, she did not need Giotto anymore. Her art was unique and everyone loved it and bought her work. Now it was just a matter of getting her shop ready and opening it.

But there was something missing in her life that she did hope to find. Love...